"Don't even say it." Wry, wry words.
His shadowy brows wiggled, "What if one little kiss was all it took."
I narrowed my eyes on him but before I could respond Riella shoved a piece of bread into his smirking face. "Want some?"
Emon's face wrinkled at the bread just inches from his nose, wet from Riella's chewing with only the crust left behind. I could not hold back my snorting laughter.
"I don't really think I am in need of sustenance anymore, my cub," he said kindly.
Our daughter shrugged, and then stuffed the bread into her mouth. Grinning, I returned to her hair as she chewed thoughtfully, still watching her father. "So what can you do then?"
Emon's brows rose. "So far I have been just floating around waiting for the two most beautiful fae I know to wake up, but…" He cracked his neck to the side and then shifted into his panther…a shadow panther complete with black fangs.
Tying off her braid, Riella swallowed, her mouth falling open to stare at Emon's beast before he returned back to his fae form.
"I want to try!" she cried, jumping to stand, squeezing her eyes and fists tightly to force the shift. When it was clear nothing had changed she peeked one eye open, then the other, swirls of gold and green dimming with disappointment. "I can't do it."
I brushed her braid over her shoulder. "I'm sure you can do it, little one. Your shadow powers have just manifested, it will just take some time for them to become more consistent."
Her fists tightened and she stomped her foot. "We don't have any more time," she snarled. "Faedere is a shadow and Zaki just told me we are almost to The Well. You will need my help and you worry I am not strong enough, that you won't be able to protect me."
Emon and I shared a passing look, and I sighed, seeing the stubborn set of my daughter's jaw—she was too much likemeand Iknewwhat I would have done in her stead. Rising to my knees, I held up the crown of stars, its light casting sparkles around the room, and placed it on her head. It had kept her safe thus far, I was not taking any chances by tempting fate without it.
"You are very strong both here," I touched her brow and then the center of her chest. "and here. This has never been your weight to carry—but if you feel that it is, then allow your father and I to take the brunt of it."
Emon crouched low, shadows extended from his hands, sending them around her in a tickling fit. Pulling them back with a largegrin at her, he kissed her forehead. "I agree with your mother. Your job is to laugh and smile daily, that is how you protect us. For then we shall not worry if we are failing you as parents."
Riella giggled again when Emon gave her one more tickle, then she sighed, her lip pouting. "I just really wish I could do it."
Sitting back on my heels, I sighed with her, a stabbing pain in my chest at her obvious disappointment. "Manipulating shadow," I started slowly, thoughtfully, "cannot be done by force, Riella. Shadows are darkness and like true darkness they have no beginning nor end." I called out to casted shadows made by the firelight and twirled them around her in a slow pirouette. "They are an extension of your wants and needs. That's how you were able to use them to fight the caoránach. You had aneedto protect your family and you used what was around you."
I beckoned Emon to come closer. Raising his hand and then Riella’s, I wrapped the shadows around their wrists.
Sliding back away from them, I whispered. "Do not force the shadow to be…use it to extend yourself into what you need."
My soulmate hummed, staring into her eyes, nodding encouragingly. "Feel what it is to be a shadow, my cub. This is what it means to shift as well."
Riella's swirling green and gold eyes brightened with concentration and my breath held when suddenly they stopped, glowing equally in the dim light. A sudden flash of light, forced me to blink, opening my eyes to see a mewling little panther cub with shadows flowing behind her like continuous flames of darkness.
Emon laughed proudly. "Well done, my cub." Grinning he shifted into his own shadow panther form, his massive body dropping low as he purred at the little cub of darkness. Pouncing, Riella's shadowed form dove on top of Emon's head, batting at him with her little shadow paws and biting at him playfully with tiny black fangs.
I laughed along with them.
Riella had done it! And it was a memory I would never forget. This…this was what it meant to have equal powers of shadow and shifter blood. The first of her kind, the hope of the future…a future that was now imperative, more so than ever before, for me to secure.
It was no longer a choice, it was a goddess damn fact.
Chapter 43
Athunderingknockrattledthemetal door of the ship’s cabin and the dual shadow panthers skidded to a halt.
Weaving shadows into my hands and curling them over my arms, I rose, indicating them to stay back. Breathing deeply, I slowly exhaled as I threw open the latch and shoved the heavy metal door open with my shadows poised.
I was met with a blast of icy rain and only half of the sea king’s giant body in the doorway. Bowing down, he roared over the crashing thunder. "Trouble on the horizon!"
I grimaced when the water of his beard spattered upon my upturned face, frigid and icy, with the strong smell of fish and salt. Throwing a look over my shoulder at my soulmate and daughter, I narrowed my eyes, weaving shadow around me to block the storm and to wipe off the water. "Stay here."
Emongrowled. "For now."
